Libya: Bomb targets Benghazi police station

An explosion hit a police station in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Saturday, causing extensive damage but no casualties, a security source said.

“The explosion damaged a large part of the building. An explosive device was probably thrown,” the source said on condition of anonymity.

“Fortunately, the officers and police were in another part of the building. That is why there are no injuries.”

A policeman at the scene said he was among officers who fled the building after the blast, and that there were no apparent casualties.

An AFP photographer at the site said the explosion could be heard at 7:00 am (0500 GMT) and that it destroyed more than half of the police station.

It was the second bombing at the site this year.

A day earlier, a militiaman was killed when armed men attacked the headquarters of his pro-government group, Uqba ibn Nafi, in the eastern city of Darnah. The area is largely controlled by radical Islamist militias, officials said.

Meanwhile, a five-star hotel in Tripoli evacuated its staff and guests after receiving a bomb threat on Friday. Officials spoke on condition of anonymity because of they were not authorized to speak to the press.

Benghazi, the cradle of the 2011 uprising that ousted long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi, has been targeted by several bombings and a wave of assassinations in recent months.

The attacks are usually attributed to Islamic extremists, including one on the US consulate that killed ambassador Chris Stevens on 11 September 2012.

On Tuesday, the French embassy in Tripoli was struck by a car bomb that wounded two French guards and caused significant damage.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2015 was held on March in London to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to the society.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2015 was held on March in London to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to the society.

The Muslim News Awards for Excellence event is to acknowledge British Muslim and non-Muslim contributions to society. Over 850 people from diverse background, Muslim and non-Muslim, attended the gala dinner.